Page:Narrative of a Voyage around the World - 1843.djvu/75

 1837.] appropriate name certainly; it seems almost in mockery that one or two stunted shrubs are allowed to stand on its summit — objects at all times of interest to us.

We failed in reaching Realejo before dark, and not knowing its dangers, preferred standing off and on during the night, in preference to the being rocked to sleep by anchoring in the heavy ground swell, or lulled by the roaring of the surf, at all times particularly loud on this coast. The sailing remarks will be found in the appendix.

At eight the following morning we anchored about a mile from the western end of Garden, where, on landing, I found a mark probably left by the Conway when she examined this place a few years back.

The Island of Garden is of volcanic origin, and the beach contains so much iron, that the sand, which probably is washed up, caused the magnetic needle to vibrate 21° from zero. I do not, however, believe that the needle was much, if at all, affected on the summit of the island, where our observations were conducted. Our position was on its new cliffy angle. The boats having examined and found the anchorage safe, the Sulphur was brought in and anchored within the Island of Aserradores, in perfectly still water, four fathoms mud.

On the Island of Aserradores our tide gauge was established, being free from undulation, although directly open to seaward through Barra Falsa; and